


The Lost Siren

by AliceDoll



Category: Borderlands
Genre: Action/Adventure, Canon-Typical Violence, Death, Gen, Humor, Inappropriate Humor, Innuendo, Missions, New Vault Hunters, Shooting Guns, Sirens, Unofficial Sequel, Vault Hunter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-30
Updated: 2015-07-06
Packaged: 2018-04-06 22:09:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4238361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AliceDoll/pseuds/AliceDoll
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Jack's defeat, the vault hunters are warned by The Watcher of an impending war. When they put out a call to arms, a group of aspiring vault hunters journey to Pandora. </p>
<p>Among this group are:  </p>
<p>Clara, a young woman with a troubled past and orbs filled with unknown energy.<br/>Butch, a powerful, brute of a man feared by many.<br/>Switches, a gadgeteer assisted by a team of mini bots at his disposal.<br/>Aithne, an elementalist with control over a sentient spike that picks its element at random.  </p>
<p>This story follows them as they travel to a new planet in search of a vault that will assist them in the war with the biggest foe the universe has seen yet.</p>
<p>Also on wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/myworks/43506621-the-lost-siren-borderlands</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning

Clanking of heavy metal footsteps echoed throughout the quiet streets of town. People, frightened for their lives, hid in their dark houses staying under the radar. The last thing they wanted was to be seen and shot on principle. This wasn't the first time these things had arrived and ransacked the town searching for their best kept secret.

Hidden away in the bunker below the streets was a teenage girl curled up into a ball in the corner. Tears rolled down her frail face, staining her rosy cheeks. Wrapped up in a torn blanket, she closed her eyes tightly, praying that they would leave without harming anyone this time. This was their second raid this month on the poor town, and she didn't know how much longer they could withstand them.

Over the intercom system attached to one of the yellow robots, a man's voice called out to them, "I know you have her. If you bring her out then you will all be spared. If you don't..." he paused. "Well, let's just say that this will be your final warning."

In the house above her, Clara could hear her parents arguing like they did weeks ago when Hyperion first showed up. Her father wanted to release her to their custody while her mother was adamant in her decision to keep her hidden. Their arguing never grew above a whisper, but Clara could still understand every word.

"Tick tock. Tick tock. Your time is running out people," he said.

Everything fell silent and the wind blew through like it was a ghost town. Nobody moved a muscle, conflicted on what they should do. They knew that they should sacrifice the girl to protect themselves, but they couldn't bring themselves to do it.

Aphrodite was a peaceful planet whose laws strictly prohibited violence unless absolutely necessary. They weren't the same as their barren, bandit ridden, neighboring planet, Pandora. Violence was the local greeting there and deaths were high. Aphrodite taught love and lived in peace for hundreds of years despite the recent bombardment  of Hyperion's army.

"Okay, everyone. Time's up!" sounded from the robot. "Dispose of them for me."

The groups of robots strategically placed themselves around every house, charging up their lasers. Before they fired, Clara's father stepped outside of his house with his hands up in the air. The voice demanded that the robots stop, and their lasers powered down.

"Well, well. If it isn't, Lorin, the  creator of the bane of my existence. Fancy meeting you here."

"Look, Jo--," he started.

The loader grabbed him by the collar as the voice on the other end intensified. "Did you not get the memo, Lorin? My name is Jack, Handsome Jack to be precise. You will address me, your boss, as such. Got it?"

Lorin nodded his head profusely. The quiet man that worked in the department next to his was gone. The voice sounded the same, but the feeling behind it was different. It was cold, harsh, and unforgiving like the wastelands of Elpis.

"Good. Now, where is she?" Jack asked as the loader released him.

"She is hidden in the bunker underneath the city."

"You guys have a bunker underneath this pathetic town?" he said laughingly. "But seriously, go bring her to me. That's an order."

"Yes sir." He scrambled back into his house where his wife met him with a glare planted on her face.

"How could you sell out our daughter like that!" she yelled at him as tears escaped her eyes.

"We can't let anyone else die over one child, Lillie. We can always have another," he said as he opened the hatch in the floor leading to the bunker.

"You can't be serious!" She reached over to the table and picked up the vase in the center.

Glass shattered as the vase made contact with the back of Lorin's head. Water and blood trickled down his neck as he turned around to face his wife. Stomping, he closed the gap between them and grabbed her by her neck. Her fingers clawed at the tightening grip of his hand as she looked into his teary eyes.

"Stop it. Listen to me. Do you want everyone to die? This is no time to let your emotions cloud your vision. If Hyperion gets her then they will leave us all alone. It isn't a guarantee that they will kill her either. Just trust me for once."

Watching tears fall down his face, she nodded her head agreeing with him. He released his hold on her neck, and she gasped for air. Lorin returned to the hatch to see his daughter standing there, still covered by the blanket. Her mother rushed over to her and wrapped her arms tightly around her.

"I'm so sorry to do this, Clara!" she wailed as she slipped a small crystal into her daughter's pocket.

"It's okay, Mom. I understand. This is necessary for all of us. I don't want everyone to suffer because of me," Clara sniffled.

Breaking the hug with her mother, she looked up at her father with loving eyes. Part of her wanted to hate him for his decision while the other understand his reasoning. Both of them stood in silence, exchanging words without speaking. Gripping the blanket tighter, fear refused to vacate her body. She wasn't ready to die, but she was certain that it was her fate.

"Goodbye," she called out to them over her shoulder.

Lorin held his wife as they watched their daughter leave their sight. Both of them gripped each other tightly, searching for the other's comfort. They would never see their daughter again. Jack was ruthless in his annihilation of people he wanted gone. Hopefully, he was only after a capture this time and Clara's life would be spared.

"Hello there, Clara," Jack said in a smooth tone. "You've caused me a lot of headache, you know that?"

Clara couldn't stop her shaking body as his words pierced through her, enhancing her fear. She wanted to run, but she knew it was futile. Those things were destructive and knowing Jack, if she did, he would kill the inhabitants of her town. None of them were armed to protect themselves.

"Drop the blanket so I can get a good look at you," Jack ordered.

Clara hesitated until she caught a glimpse down the barrel of a gun in a loader's hands. Swallowing hard, she removed the torn cloth from her head, revealing long, purple hair. As it dropped to the ground exposing her arms, lavender tribal marks glowed underneath the moonlight.

"My sources were right! You are the Siren we have been looking for. Hmm...should I kill you now or take you into custody and make you useful?" he debated.

"How about neither?" A creature emerged from the shadows and  stood tall in front of Clara. Its lanky figure covered in armor, shielded her from the loader's vision.

"You! Again?" Jack exclaimed.

"Hello, Jack," it said in its feminine, echoing voice.

"Everytime I make a plan, you always show up to put holes in it. How about I put some holes in you!" Jack yelled out.

Bullets and lasers froze in midair as the creature waved its hand in front of them. With a twist of its wrist, they turned around striking their own shooters. The loaders, taking every shoot returned, exploded sending shrapnel flying in every direction. Glass and flaming, metal body parts scattered along the ground.

Sparks crackled from the loader's eye as the Eridian watcher stepped over to it. Lifting it from the ground, it reminded Jack who he was dealing with before crushing the eye in its hand. The pieces of hardened plastic and wires dropped to the ground on top of the half destroyed loader they belonged to.

Clara, rendered speechless by the display, stared at the alien lifeform that had saved her. It turned and made intense eye contact with her. As its hand brushed against her cheek, her body involuntarily winced.

"Do not be afraid, my child. I am here to help you. I will take you away from here before Hyperion sends reinforcements." Its voice was soothing and held no malice. Clara felt like she could trust it.

"Okay. Where are we going?" she asked, curiously.

"Somewhere safe where Jack will not be able to find you."

 

 


	2. Best News Ever

Clara sat down at the bar, her legs crossed as she listened in on the radio broadcast. She wrung out her dripping hair as she listened to the same commercials advertising Torgue weapons that she had heard a hundred times before. Not that she minded listening to his voice. She always found herself giggling like a child with every beep censoring his extensive vocabulary. Besides, anything was better than having to deal with listening to Jack's grating voice.

A man roughly twice her age, dressed in shorts and a tank top glanced up at her from his monthly copy of 'Heavy Fire'. "Ah, Rose. Off work already?" 

"Yeah." Reaching into her tankini top, she tossed a couple of soaked, wadded up bills from her between her breasts on the counter. "Please fix me up the usual and keep the change as your tip, Ray."

The bartender looked at the money, a disgusted look on his face. Thinking about it, he had taken money covered in worse and money was money. Placing the bills in his pocket, he whipped up her specialty drink which was just a virgin version of his most popular seller. Even though she turned eighteen and of legal age to drink alcohol, she never did.

He set the glass down in front of her, eyeing the tattoos peeking out from underneath the false skin she covered herself with. He had become familiar with them since she first migrated to Aquator four years prior. They always intrigued him, but she was never the type to speak about it so he never pried. Watching her sip her drink made him remember the first time he met her. Even though she had grown, her mannerisms were still the same. She still drank down that soda like it was going out of style. 

The doors to the front swung open. A short, stocky man rushed into the doorway and sat down at the bar next to Clara. As he gasped for air, he turned up the radio on the counter and changed the station. Static was soon replaced by words.

"Breaking news! Pandora is finally free from the tyranny that is Hyperion! Former coder turned CEO, Handsome Jack has been eliminated by a group of Vault Hunters working with the Crimson Raiders. Lilith, leader of the Raiders and one of the remaining Sirens, had this to say." 

"Siren?" Clara whispered to herself.

That was the name that Jack had called her during his attempted capture years before. Did she hear that correctly? Were there really others like her out in the world? Was Jack really dead?

Lilith cleared her throat before speaking, "We need all aspiring Vault Hunters to come to Pandora to aid in our search for the remaining vaults left behind by the Eridian empire. We have been informed of a possibly intergalactic war set to strike soon. We could use all the help that we can get. If you have access to the ECHOnet, echo Moxxi, and she will provide you with the necessary transportation to reach us." 

"This has been all over the ECHOnet and every radio station today. It happened a couple of months ago but the news is finally reaching us," the stocky man said as the broadcast ended.

"Wow. They finally put a stop to that psycho. I wonder what was under that mask of his? What do you think, Rose?" Ray asked as he turned down the volume on his radio.

The reality sinking into her, Clara jumped up from her seat as jubilee took over her body. That bastard was finally dead. She could finally stop living a lie, and even tell people her real name. Excitement rushed over her body as she danced around the open, empty room. 

Ray picked up her drink and sniffed it to make sure he didn't accidentally add alcohol to the fruity mix. As far as he could tell over the overwhelming sweetness, there wasn't any. Was the report really that happy of an occurrence for her? It wasn't like her to be excited about violence even if he was a feared dictator.

"Ray, I'm so happy right now!" She continued her dance around the bar, humming and giggling.

"What has gotten into that girl?" The man, still at the bar, asked Ray.

"I don't know. I've never seen her like that before." 

"It must be something in the water. I'm going to go home and boil mine just to be safe." 

He hopped down from his perch on the stool and waddled out of the bar, leaving Ray perplexed by Clara's reaction. Clara sat back down on her seat and stared off into space like a teenager obsessing over the hot person in class. She couldn’t contain the excitement emanating from her body. 

“I have so much that I can finally tell you, Ray!”

A smile spread across her face as she turned her head and looked around the empty bar. Reassuring herself that they were alone, she slowly pulled the excess skin off of her left breast and down her arm. Tossing the fake into the garbage can, she rolled her shoulder back and was amazed by how light her arm felt now. 

Pale tribal marks glowed with a lavender tint to them. As she lifted the side her shirt, he caught an eye full of the tattoos that ran down the entire side of her body.This was the first time Ray had ever witnessed the full scale of them. That would explain why she was always seen in long clothing and modified her work uniform to be less revealing. He always assumed that she was covering a mark from her past; he never knew it was to this extent. 

"From what I have been told, I am a Siren. Jack tried to abduct me from my home on Aphrodite. I have no clue why he would want me other than this odd power that I have." 

She released her shirt and concentrated. Violet light emanated brightly from her arm as multiple orbs of the same color formed and surrounded her. They remained briefly before dissipating back into the nothingness from which they came. 

Ray, speechless by her magic trick, poured himself a glass of rakk ale he kept hidden underneath the counter. The sweet girl he had helped out the last four years was actually a force to be reckoned with. Sirens were famous all over the galaxy for their unexplainable power that rendered grown men helpless. This was his first time seeing one in person, and he wasn't sure how to handle it.

Downing his glass of ale, he plopped back down in his seat. Clara, noticing the confliction on his face, sat back down in front of him. Maybe that was too much at once? She hadn't even told him her real name but maybe it was best not to. Where she was planning on going, she might not return from. 

"Ray, I just want to thank you for everything you've done for me these past few years. You've helped me out more times than I can count."

Silence and tension filled the room before he released a sigh. Regardless of who or what she was, she was still his Rose that he had come to care for as if she was his own daughter. He hopped over the counter and held open his arms. Her eyes lit up as she wrapped her arms around his broad chest.

"No matter what, I will be here for you," he said as he embraced her tightly.

"Thank you," she sniffled, trying desperately to hold back her tears. 

As they pulled away from one another, Ray reached into his pocket and pulled out his ECHO receiver. He motioned for Clara to hold out her hands, and placed it in her palm. Confused, her eyes shifted to look at him. 

"The woman earlier mentioned that she was a Siren. I figured you would want to meet her even if you've never handled a gun before, and I'm pretty sure you couldn't harm a fly." 

Unable to control them any longer, tears fell in torrents. Her voice cracked as she tried to talk. She owed him so much for everything he had done for her. One day, she would have to come back and repay him. 

She sifted through multiple files the directory wiping her nose and clearing her throat. As her voice returned to normal, Moxxi's name popped up on the screen. Tapping the screen, the call dialed out. She awaited patiently as a song played over the receiver. It was unfamiliar to her and went on about there being no rest for the wicked. The call finally connected as a soft, seductive tone answered. 

"Hey there, sugar. What can I help you with?"

"Hi, my name is Ro--Clara," she corrected herself. There was no need to hide behind the false name any longer. "I wish to meet with Lilith and help her in any way possible." 

"I see. Well, where are you currently?" 

"I am on Aquator," Clara said as her face went flush. Women weren't her interest, but Moxxi's voice made her want to take an interest.

"I haven't vacationed there in years. I could definitely use one soon." She drifted off into thought but quickly pulled herself back to reality. "How well versed are you with a weapon?"

"Umm..." Clara paused. 

Should she tell them the truth about her lack of experience? Maybe it wouldn't be that big of a deal, and they would still accept her. She was skilled in other matters that they could use even if she wasn't a front line fighter.

"Did you hear me?" she asked after moments of silence. 

"Yes, I...I heard you. I have never shot a gun before." 

Before Moxxi could respond, Clara enthusiastically continued, "But I am great as a medic! My mother was the town doctor, and I learned a lot from her. Plus, I'm also a Siren so that may be useful." She blurted out the last part without thinking.

"Did you say a Siren? Hold on a moment," she said as she placed the call on hold and switched to another line. 

Clara paced around the room anxiously, biting down on her thumb as she waited for Moxxi's return. Ray, downing another glass of rakk ale, watched Clara's nervous display. He poured her a glass and offered it to her. Not paying him any attention, she grabbed the glass and sipped it. Bitter overwhelmed her taste buds causing her to gag and shoot him a dirty look. 

"Are you still there?" Moxxi asked as she switched back over.

"Yes! I'm still here," Clara said happily.

"Good. I have arranged a ship to pick you up. You should expect them to reach you in about a week's time. See you soon, sugar."

The connection dropped and Clara took in deep, calming breaths. Stepping outside, she tossed her shoes aside, finally getting to feel the cold sand in between her toes. The sun set on the horizon transforming the blue sky into an array of colors. The varying shades of orange streaked across the top of the water, rippling with the waves. The waves always intrigued her; they were steady yet relaxing. 

Even though she was surrounded by the water every day, she never got tired of seeing it. Taking in the full image of the sun resting against water, she committed it to memory. She never wanted to forget the planet that showed her so much love and support when her own abandoned her. Clara revealed another hidden smile. She couldn't wait to see what Pandora had in store for her.

 

 


	3. Introductions

Stepping off of the space travel unit, Clara took in a deep breath and raised her arms above her head to stretch. The ride here was a long one as they stopped at multiple other planets along the way to pick up other vault hunters. Following behind her, three other passengers exited their flight with rivaled enthusiasm. None of them exchanged much conversation during the flight and kept to themselves.

Clara gazed over the edge of Sanctuary, basking in the fantastic view of pandora: the large cliff faces, the native wildlife roaming around, and the abandoned Hyperion buildings. As she giggled to herself and skipped around, her companions stared at her confused by her reactions. Pandora wasn't really a sight to behold unless death and destruction was your thing. Ignoring her, they stopped their trek as a small yellow robot rolled up to them.

"Hello, travelers. Welcome to Sanctuary! My name is CL4P-TP, but you can call me by my designated name, Claptrap. From today on, you shall join my group of highly trained minions!" 

"Your minions?" The tall, muscled man of the group asked in a deep, rough voice as his eyebrow raised inquisitively. 

"Yes! Please, come this way my fine minions!" 

They all exchanged glances and shrugged their shoulders, deciding to follow him. Clara resurfaced from her daze and scrambled after them. Following in tow, red and purple lights from a sign became visible. Spelling out "MoXXXi's", Clara knew they were headed to the right place. The funny little robot may be weird but at least he knew where he was going.

The scent of pizza, sweat, gunpowder, and blood filled her nostrils as they stepped inside the bar. As bad as it seemed, Clara was really craving some of that pizza, even if she was unsure about its contents. The only food they carried on their transportation were rations and digistructed food. Both of which tasted absolutely bland and like dog food. 

Spying an open, unattended box lying on one of the tables, she snagged herself a slice. It looked normal enough. It was covered in cheese and some meaty topping like a normal pizza. The toppings were unidentifiable, but it couldn't be that bad, right? 

As she bit into the slice, her taste buds retaliated against the horrid taste she had placed upon them. Dropping it onto the floor, she gagged and chugged the remaining water in her canteen. She wiped her face and sighed with relief to have rid herself of whatever she had dined on.

"Ahem," a sultry voice called out to her as the sound of heels on the wooden floor grew closer.

Standing in front of her with her hand placed on her cocked hip, was a woman dressed in an all purple attire that accentuated her voluptuous assets. Clara's blue eyes met with Moxxi's which shined a vibrant green comparable to the seafoam on Aquator. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest as her face grew red. 

"Considering how unfamiliar you are with Pandoran food, you must be Clara. I'm Moxxi, but I'm pretty sure you already knew that. Please come join the rest of the group at the bar. I'll whip you all up something special." 

Clara nodded her head as she followed behind Moxxi like a school girl. Watching Moxxi's hips sway side to side as she walked made Clara's face turn a darker shade of red. She was uncertain as to why she was feeling this way and wasn't sure how to handle it. This was all new to her. She had snuck peeks in Ray's magazines before, but no one ever instilled this type of reaction in her.

Clara sat down in between Mr. Muscles and a quiet man tinkering with a small, rounded, metal object. Moxxi resumed her position behind the counter and handed each of them a drink. Clara brought the glass to her lips and inconspicuously sniffed its contents. Surprisingly, it smelled sweet, almost similar to the way Ray's drink smelled. The drink was perfectly chilled and smooth going down. 

Before Clara could finish her second sip, Mr. Muscles had already finished off his drink and slammed the glass onto the table which made Clara jump. He lifted his glass in the air and asked, in a hearty tone, for a refill. Moxxi was happy to oblige and had another drink ready before Clara could even blink. 

"So, have we all introduced ourselves to each other yet?" Moxxi asked the group sitting in front of her.

The quartet was silent before the other female at the end of the bar replied, "No. I didn't see the need to introduce myself to whatever they are supposed to be."

"Oh. You must be Aithne then. Your reputation precedes you," Moxxi responded in a cleverly hidden sarcastic tone.

"At your service. I am the only one here actually qualified by years of training to become a vault hunter." Her voice turned haughty as she smirked.

'Well, isn't somebody confident?' Clara thought to herself as she listened to her speak.

"Training means nothing once you actually step onto the battlefield," the man next to her said as the object he had been working on transformed into a small robot. "What's your kill count at?" 

"My kill count? That is irrelevant to me being superior to you. What training do you have?" she asked in rebuttal.

"I was a researcher and designer for S&S Munitions before their dry spell five years ago that ultimately lead me to be out of a job. I am a trained professional in building, modifying, repairing, and breaking apart anything tech related," he said in a calm tone as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. 

Aithne was shocked by his answer. She didn't actually think that any one of them were qualified to help the Crimson Raiders, but it seemed like she was wrong. Her eyes moved from him and fixated on Clara, who was directly in her line of vision. 

"You there, weirdo with the tattoos and the bad dye job," she called out to Clara.

"Excuse me?" Clara wasn't one to get upset over being made fun of, but this woman really struck a chord with her. Who died and made her the queen of Pandora? 

"Yeah. Excuse you. What is a child doing on the bandit planet anyway? Shouldn't you be at home playing with stuffed animals and reading fairy tales? What's with your wardrobe? Did your grandmother dress you?" she scoffed.

Clara stared down at her knee length pleated skirt and her sleeveless top. It was a privilege to finally be able to show off her body that had been hidden away for years. She knew it was an odd fashion choice, but she had the opportunity to wear a skirt so she took it. Even if it was outdated, she still liked it.

Becoming angrier the more Aithne opened her mouth to continue with her barrage of insults, Clara stood up from her chair and stomped over to her. After putting up with years of being bullied as a child, she was not about to put up with it from an adult; especially her. The small crystal she kept around her neck glowed as her eyes turned purple and light swirled through her arm. The entire bar’s patrons grew silent as Aithne's eyes grew wide from fear at the sight of the younger girl. She wasn’t expecting her to react like that.

“Look, bitch, back off or I’ll end you,” she wrapped her fingers around her ponytail and stared into her eyes, “Got it?”

Aithne nodded her head quickly, prompting Clara to release her. Once she did, the crystal died down, returning to its normal clouded state. Slow clapping sounded in the quiet room. Looking up from Aithne, next to two vending machines, stood a woman with fiery red hair and tattoos similar to her own. That must be Lilith!

“Well, you certainly have the Siren temper,” she said as she laughed. “ You must be the girl Mox told me about.”

Clara nodded her head, embarrassed by her unexpected reaction. She wasn’t the type to be violent, ever. This was the first time she had ever experienced an outburst like that. Maybe this was her clue that alcohol really wasn’t her friend.

“Has everyone made their introductions?” Everyone stayed silent, including Aithne who opted out of speaking that time. “Well, you all should learn to get along with one another. You’re the only ones that have applied so far so that makes you a team.”

Clara and Aithne exchanged looks as their mouths stood wide open. “You mean, I’m going to be on a team with her?” they both said in unison.

“Yep. So, you better get used to one another. Now, state your name and what you are contributing to the team. Go!” Lilith demanded of them as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“I am Switches,” the guy in the glasses said. “I am a robotics expert and have a small army of robots on me at all times.”

“Good, you and Gaige should get along great then. You two can probably share techniques and make some amazing developments,” Lilith responded. She pointed to the man that Clara kept mentally referring to as Mr. Muscles. “You, big guy! You’re next!”   

“My name is Butch. I like to kill things with explosions. I am half Minoten and can channel my strength and speed from that bloodline for brief periods of time. It is especially useful when using grenades,” he said in a deep, yet intelligent voice.

“You and Torgue are going to be best friends.” Her attention turned to Aithne who was still sitting there quietly. “You’re next.”

“I…” her voice started out squeaking. After clearing her throat and returning to her normal self-absorbed tone, she continued, “I am Aithne, former top recruit for Corazza, before they disappeared from the world without a trace. I contain one of the last Apophyls in existence. He is my companion and works for just me alone.” 

A smug look formed on her face as angry muffled sounds echoed from the bag strapped to her hip. Clara sighed at Aithne’s declaration of importance once again. At least she was able to shut her up for a brief period of time. Aithne frowned sensing that Lilith was ignoring her introduction. Noticing this, Clara decided to speak up about herself.

“My name is Clara, and I am a Siren. I don’t have much experience when it comes to weaponry, but I learn quickly and I have medical training that can be useful in battle.” Her voice was quiet, completely different from her raged filled tone from before.

“Well, that seems like everyone then, If you’re all ready, I will show you the headquarters that you will need to get used to.”

Lilith turned around and walked out of the bar that had returned to its normal level of noisiness. Aithne stood up from her seat and pushed passed Clara, glaring at her. Clara was certain that Aithne and herself were never going to enjoy each other’s company. She was unsure how they were even going to be able to work together without problems. Letting out a defeated sigh, Clara followed her newly acquainted companions to the the Crimson Raiders headquarters.

Stepping inside, they all spotted a woman with short black hair yelling at a tall, slender man with a long ponytail and an awkward beard. “Didn’t I tell you to not cook bacon in here? The smell is getting all over my clothes! It took weeks to get the smell out of here the last time.”

Lilith placed her hand on her forehead, “Dammit, Tannis, will you just lay off about the bacon? We already got you the ventilator that you wanted.”

“No! It’s a disgrace to have my lab smell like that wretched garbage!” Tannis stormed off into the corner of the room next to a line of washing machines.

The man walked up to Lilith. “Sorry about that, Lil. Talon and I were hungry, and I wasn’t thinking clearly. I forgot how much she freaks out over it. At least I didn’t play music.”

“I guess you’re right. She would have flipped out more if you had. Just go to Claptrap’s area if you’re going to cook bacon. That will be far enough away for her to not fret over it.” Turning back to the group she said, “This is Mordecai. He’s one of the best snipers that I know. He’s going to inform you about your mission since he upset the woman that knows all the science stuff.” 

“Aww, come on.” He leaned his back up against the support beam in the center of the room. “Fine. Okay. You all will go into the safe upstairs and pull out two weapons of your choice. You will need these for your journey to Chaosis."

"Did you say Chaosis?" Switches asked, thoroughly intrigued by Mordecai's statement.

"What's Chaosis?" Clara asked timidly. She knew she was probably going to look even more like a newbie than before, but she wanted to know what she was getting herself into.

"It's the planet of chaos where everything changes all the time. The weather is really tricky as well," Switches answered her question with excitement in his voice.

Mordecai continued, "It's also under the control of Maliwan and used for their newest weapons. They caught wind of a vault on Chaosis and are determined to find it in hopes of finding riches like Jack. They may not give you the best of welcomes since you'll be crashing in on their party." 

"Sounds like fun." Butch high fived Switches over their similar interest in the planet.

"He he. You'll definitely have fun. For your first mission, we're going to send you to the outskirts of the Eremurus fields. There you will find your guide, Deon. He's a former Maliwan employee that knows the area better than anyone." Mordecai followed Lilith up the stairs, beckoning for the vault hunters to follow.

They all exchanged looks and followed them up the stairs. A large table laid in the middle of the floor containing a map of Pandora. In the wall, standing tall was a large safe. Lilith called out to a man doing one handed pushups on the balcony. He hopped up from his spot on the floor and towered above them. He put Butch to shame in terms of body muscle.

"Yeah? Oh, are these the new guys?" He asked in a deep, loud voice.

"Yes?" She introduced them to him, and then pointed at the safe. "It's sticking again. Will you open it for us?"

"Sure thing!" Effortlessly, Brick turned the large handles and opened the door to the safe.

Everyone in the group stared in amazement at his brute strength. It was a good thing he was on their side. They couldn't imagine having him as an enemy. He would be a very formidable one indeed. 

"Alright, who's going first?" Lilith sat on the edge of the table and looked at the group. 

Aithne, before anyone else could say anything, walked towards the safe with quick steps. She had to make sure she got the best they had to offer since she was the best equipped to use them anyway. Clara crossed her arms defiantly in front of her chest. She really did not like this girl or her piss poor attitude. Once she was done rummaging through the safe, Aithne emerged with a sniper rifle in one hand and a pistol in the other.

She smirked in Clara's direction, and as she walked past her she whispered, "Good luck finding anything good. The rest is just garbage anyway." 

'Don't get mad, Clara. She's just trying to get another outburst out of you. Anger isn't going to solve anything. Don't stoop down to her level of stupid.'

Clara tapped her foot on the floor as she pushed back the anger that welled up inside her. She refused to let Aithne get the beat of her. They both watched as Switches and Butch picked out their weapons of choice. Butch sported a shotgun and what appeared to be a rocket launcher. Switches carried out an assault rifle and a shotgun. 

Two weapons remained which Clara happily picked up. She didn't care if they weren't the best. She just cared that she was about to be a part of something bigger than herself. Besides, she didn't even know how to shoot one so it would be better to practice with a less effective gun just in case she happened to shoot a teammate by accident, like Aithne for instance. Clara smiled devilishly to herself as her mind wandered through daydreams about ridding herself of the obnoxious girl.

"Alright, now that everyone has their weapons, I will explain some things to you," Lilith said, still remaining in her seat. "Once we get you there, we don't know how long you will be there. If you die, there is no restart button. Do not take your life for granted. Teamwork is of the essence here. You all will be spending a lot of time together so it would be best to just suck it up and get along." The last part was said as she eyed the two girls who refused to stand next to one another.

"Understood," they all said in unison.

"Good. Tonight, you will be set up to leave. I suggest you enjoy the last fourteen hours of daylight and prepare anything else you think you may need. See you all at sun down."

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I have been replaying the games recently, and decided to write a fanfiction about what I think will happen next. I hope you all enjoy this! It was a lot of fun to write.


End file.
